What to Eat at Chipotle: Healthy Menu Choices and Nutrition Facts

Chipotle

Verywell / Christian Alzate

Chipotle is known for serving fresh, simple Mexican-inspired food without artificial flavors or fillers. The restaurant offers a wide range of completely customizable crunchy or soft tacos, burritos, bowls, salads, chips and salsa, queso, and guacamole.

Even when you're presented with a variety of options, dining out can be tricky if you’re trying to eat a more nutritious diet or stay on track with weight loss goals. Luckily, Chipotle's menu allows you to customize your entire plate—which can be a great benefit when following a particular diet. Consult Chipotle's nutrition calculator before visiting to view the calories and macronutrients of your unique order.

What Experts Say

"Chipotle offers a variety of options that exclude common food allergens as well as vegetarian and vegan dishes. While there are options to add higher-fiber foods like whole grains, veggies, and beans to meals, the sodium content of many menu options is very high. If you eat here often, opt for lower sodium meals the rest of the day to help balance your intake."

Willow Jarosh, MS, RD

Navigating the Menu

When ordering at Chipotle, you'll start by selecting the meal type—burrito, burrito bowl, taco, or salad—and then pick your ingredients and toppings. The highly customizable nature of its menu means that every meal will look a little different, but below you'll find a guide to some of the most and least nutritious ways to order a Chipotle meal.

What to Order & Avoid at Chipotle
 Most Nutritious Options Least Nutritious Options
Sofritas, beans, and veggie bowl with salsa (Burrito Bowls) Carnitas, rice, beans, and veggie bowl with cheese, sour cream, queso, salsa, and guacamole (Burrito Bowls) 
Chicken and veggie burrito with salsa (Burritos) Steak, rice, beans, and veggie burrito with salsa, guacamole, sour cream, queso, and cheese (Burritos)
Crispy corn tortilla tacos with beans, veggies, salsa, light cheese, and light sour cream (Tacos) Flour tortilla tacos with carnitas, rice, salsa, sour cream, cheese, and guacamole (Tacos)
Salad with beans, veggies, salsa, and light cheese (Salads) Salad with chicken, rice, beans, veggies, cheese, salsa, sour cream, and honey vinaigrette dressing (Salads)
Chips and tomato green-chili salsa (Sides) Chips and queso (Sides)
Crispy corn tortilla tacos with chicken, black beans, and fajita veggies (Kids) Quesadilla with chicken, white rice, and black beans (Kids)
Water (Beverages) Pineapple orange banana juice (Beverages)

Most Nutritious Option

If you're looking for the most nutrient-packed dish at Chipotle, ask for the 3-taco platter of crispy corn tortilla tacos with black beans, fajita vegetables, fresh tomato salsa, light Monterey Jack cheese, romaine lettuce, and light sour cream.

Burrito Bowls

Completely customizable and made fresh before your eyes, Chipotle bowls are prepared according to your instructions. You can pick and choose from standards like beans and rice, or add interesting flavors from salsas, queso, and various types of meat and plant-based protein.

When you’re choosing a base for your bowl, opt for brown rice instead of white. Or, to reduce the carbohydrate and calorie content more, skip the rice altogether and opt for beans, salsa, and lettuce.

✓ Sofritas, Beans, and Veggie Bowl with Salsa

When you order a bowl with sofritas, pinto beans, fajita vegetables, tomato green-chili salsa, and romaine lettuce, your meal will provide 320 calories, 11.5g total fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 40g carbohydrates, 17g protein, and 1,180mg sodium.

By skipping the cilantro-lime rice (which adds an average of 210 calories, 4g fat, 40g carbohydrates, and 350mg sodium for a regular serving) and opting for sofritas (the plant-based option) as your protein, you can build a bowl that, while still heavy on the sodium, contains a good balance of macronutrients with fewer calories and fat than many of the alternatives.

If you don't want to skip the rice altogether, consider the brown rice option, which offers more fiber and a better nutrient profile than white. Ordering it "light" will cut the calories in half.

✗ Carnitas, Rice, Beans, and Veggie Bowl with Cheese, Sour Cream, Queso, Salsa, and Guacamole

A bowl with carnitas (the most calorie-dense of the protein options), white rice, black beans, fajita vegetables, fresh tomato salsa, guacamole, Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, and queso will run you 1,165 calories, 65.5g total fat, 29g saturated fat, 86g carbohydrates, 51g protein, and 2,550mg sodium. 

Ordering double meat and/or heavy rice will further increase the calorie, saturated fat, and sodium counts. If you're craving a meat protein option, order the steak or chicken, which delivers 150 or 180 calories, respectively, and eliminate the guacamole and cheese to cut more than 370 calories.

Burritos

Burritos at Chipotle take all the fillings possible for a bowl and wrap them in a large flour tortilla. The easiest way to reduce the calories of a packed Chipotle burrito is to share or save half for later. As with bowls, you can also specify how much of a specific ingredient you want, such as asking for extra veggies, light cheese, or sour cream on the side.

✓ Chicken and Veggie Burrito with Salsa

Opting for a burrito with chicken, fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa, and romaine lettuce will provide 550 calories, 16g total fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 60g carbohydrates, 41g protein, and 1,610mg sodium. Choosing vegetable toppings, as opposed to sauces, cheese, or guacamole, keeps the calories, fat, and carbohydrate counts low for this burrito meal.

✗ Steak, Rice, Beans, and Veggie Burrito with Salsa, Guacamole, Sour Cream, Queso, and Cheese

Ordering a burrito with steak, white rice, black beans, queso, fajita vegetables, tomatillo red-chili salsa, sour cream, Monterey Jack cheese, and guacamole will give you 1,430 calories, 68.5g total fat, 25g saturated fat, 137g carbohydrates, 57g protein, and 2,980mg sodium.

Eliminate the salsa and queso to save more than 600mg sodium, and keep this dish a bit more heart-healthy.

Tacos

Smaller and more compact than a bowl or burrito, Chipotle’s tacos are another custom-made option. In addition to all the same filling options, with tacos, you have the choice between a crispy corn tortilla shell or a soft flour tortilla. You can order a single taco, but the typical meal comes with three.

✓ Crispy Corn Tortilla Tacos with Beans, Veggies, Salsa, Light Cheese, and Light Sour Cream 

A single crispy corn tortilla taco with black beans, fajita vegetables, fresh tomato salsa, light Monterey Jack cheese, romaine lettuce, and light sour cream will offer 164 calories, 6.5g total fat, 2g saturated fat, 20.5g carbohydrates, 5.5g protein, and 339.5mg sodium. Ordering a meal of three boosts the total calories to 490.

This veggie-packed dish cuts out a protein source but delivers a good amount of carbohydrates and fats.

✗ Flour Tortilla Tacos with Carnitas, Rice, Salsa, Sour Cream, Cheese, and Guacamole 

One flour tortilla taco with carnitas, white rice, roasted chili-corn salsa, Monterey Jack cheese, guacamole, and sour cream will provide 401 calories, 21.5g total fat, 7g saturated fat, 35g carbohydrates, 16g protein, and 733mg sodium.

Turning that order into a meal of three boosts the total calories to 1,200. Split the meal with a friend or save some for later to keep the intake of calories, fat, and sodium lower.

Salads

Like Chipotle burrito bowls, burritos, and tacos, salads are customizable with any of the ingredients available. Salads start with a base of "super greens" (a mix of romaine, baby kale, and baby spinach) and come with Chipotle's honey vinaigrette dressing.

You might choose a salad thinking it will be lower in fat, calories, and carbs than a burrito or bowl, but don’t assume it will be an overall healthier choice. Depending on the toppings you choose, the nutritional value can vary, and a single serving of the honey vinaigrette salad dressing has 220 calories, 16g total fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 18g carbohydrates, and 12g sugar.

✓ Salad with Beans, Veggies, Salsa, and Light Cheese 

Ordering a salad with super greens, pinto beans, fajita veggies, tomatillo green-chili salsa, and light Monterey Jack cheese will provide 235 calories, 5.5g fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 33.5g carbohydrates, 13g protein, and 730mg sodium.

Opting for salsa instead of salad dressing will save on calories, fat, and added sugar. Of the salsas, the tomatillo green-chili salsa contains the least sodium (260mg)—compare that to the fresh tomato salsa, which packs 550mg sodium per serving.

✗ Salad with Chicken, Rice, Beans, Veggies, Cheese, Salsa, Sour Cream, and Honey Vinaigrette Dressing 

A salad with super greens, chicken, white rice, black beans, fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa, roasted chili-corn salsa, Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, and the honey vinaigrette comes in at 1,100 calories, 47g fat, 18g saturated fat, 111g carbohydrates, 58g protein, and 2,985mg sodium.

This salad, while stuffed with greens and veggies, also packs in a high amount of sodium thanks to the two salsa options, rice, and beans. Cut back on the salsa to save 760mg sodium.

To make a healthier salad, ask for your dressing on the side. Or skip it entirely and use salsa instead.

Sides

Chipotle’s main meal offerings are packed, so the restaurant keeps its sides simple. A favorite is the crispy, salty, tortilla chips with guacamole, salsa, or queso for dipping.

Chipotle's regular bag of chips is intended to share and comes in at 540 calories, 25g fat, and 390mg sodium. Also on the menu is a large bag of chips, which offers 810 calories, 38g fat, and 590mg sodium.

✓ Chips and Tomato Green-Chili Salsa

Chipotle's regular chips and a side of the tomato green-chili salsa come in at 560 calories, 25g total fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 77g carbohydrates, 7g protein, and 650mg sodium. Splitting this side is your best option—especially if ordered as part of a full meal.

✗ Chips and Queso

An order of regular chips and queso provides 780 calories, 43g fat, 16g saturated fat, 80g carbohydrates, 17g protein, and 880mg sodium. Up that order to a large chip and large queso and you're looking at 1,290 calories, 75g fat, 28g saturated fat, 124g carbohydrates, 31g protein, and 1,570mg sodium.

Chipotle is also known for its guacamole, which can be added to any dish or had on the side for dipping tortilla chips. While a large order of chips and guac has around the same amount of calories and fat as chips and queso, the guac has a lot less saturated fat: just 12g versus queso’s 28g.

Kid’s Menu

Kids can build their own tacos with many of the same ingredients available to adults, but Chipotle also offers a very basic cheese quesadilla that appeals to children and adults looking to keep it simple.

Along with the taco or quesadilla, kid's meals come with a choice of sides including a small bag of chips or fruit (typically a clementine) and a choice of milk, chocolate milk, or apple juice. For the healthiest option, opt for fruit and regular milk.

✓ Crispy Corn Tortilla Tacos with Chicken, Black Beans, and Fajita Veggies

Build-your-own (BYO) crispy corn tortilla tacos with chicken, black beans, and fajita veggies offer the most balanced meal option with 325 calories, 10g fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 36g carbohydrates, 23g protein, and 370mg sodium.

This dish keeps the calorie and sodium counts low while delivering a healthy amount of both carbohydrates and protein, making it a nutritious full meal option for kids.

✗ Quesadilla with Chicken, White Rice, and Black Beans

The kid's quesadilla with chicken, white rice, and black beans comes in at 415 calories, 14.5g fat, 5.5g saturated fat, 50g carbohydrates, 20g protein, and 720mg sodium. Hold the rice and black beans for a chicken quesadilla and save 200 calories and 330mg sodium.

Beverages

Drink choices may vary by location (some restaurants even offer alcoholic drinks), but most Chipotle restaurants offer several flavors of bottled juice by brands like Nantucket Nectars (240–280 calories) and fizzy juices from Izze (160–170 calories) as well as an array of fountain drinks and fresh brewed iced tea.

✓ Water

Of course, the healthiest, most hydrating option is just plain old water. If you're opting for a full meal at Chipotle, order water as your beverage to keep sugar and sodium low.

✗ Pineapple Orange Banana Juice

Chipotle offers a selection of juices, and the Nantucket Nectars pineapple orange banana juice packs the most calories and carbohydrates of the bunch. A single bottle will provide 280 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 68g carbohydrate, 2g protein, and 60mg sodium.

Diet-Specific Options

Chipotle offers choices for gluten-free, low-carb, vegetarian, vegan, and low-FODMAP diets, but it is not a good choice for people following a low-sodium diet.

Gluten-Free

If you're eating gluten-free due to celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, or related medical issues, Chipotle is one fast-food restaurant that will take extra steps to help you avoid the allergen.

Chipotle's Gluten-Free Statement

If you avoid gluten, don't eat our flour tortillas. If you are highly sensitive to gluten and would like us to change our gloves, just let us know at the start of your order. You should be aware that items containing corn, including corn tortillas (chips and crispy corn tortillas) and corn salsa, may have trace amounts of gluten from potentially co-mingling with gluten-containing grains in the field.

Low-Carb

  • Keto bowl with carnitas, romaine lettuce, tomatillo red-chili salsa, Monterey Jack cheese, and guacamole
  • Whole30 salad bowl with carnitas, romaine lettuce, fajita vegetables, fresh tomato salsa, and guacamole
  • Paleo bowl with barbacoa, romaine lettuce, fajita vegetables, tomatillo green-chili salsa, and guacamole
  • Salad with chicken and fresh tomato salsa

Since all of the low-carb options eliminate rice or a tortilla, choose the one that complies with your diet (keto, Whole30, or paleo), or the one that has your favorite protein or toppings.

Low-FODMAP

  • Carnitas
  • Corn tortilla (bowl or taco)
  • White or brown rice
  • Lettuce
  • Ask for plain corn, bell peppers, or tomatoes

Chipotle's low-FODMAP options include vegetables, tortillas, and carnitas. Combine them in a burrito bowl or a taco for a fully low-FODMAP meal.

Diabetes-Friendly

  • Paleo bowl with barbacoa, romaine lettuce, fajita vegetables, tomatillo green-chili salsa, and guacamole
  • Corn tacos with steak, fajita vegetables, tomatillo red-chili salsa, guacamole, lettuce, and cheese
  • Burrito bowl with brown rice, carnitas, lettuce, guacamole, and fajitas vegetables
  • Whole30 Salad Bowl with carnitas, romaine lettuce, fajita vegetables, fresh tomato salsa, and guacamole
  • Keto Bowl with carnitas, romaine lettuce, tomatillo red-chili salsa, Monterey Jack cheese, and guacamole

Whole grains, vegetables, and lean proteins are all key to a diabetes-friendly diet, and the offerings at Chipotle provide the ingredients for a custom diabetes-friendly meal. Opt for the paleo bowl, which keeps vegetables front-and-center in the dish, and uses the tomatillo green-chili salsa as the dressing.

Low-Fat

  • Chicken, black beans, fajita vegetables, lettuce, and salsa bowl
  • Pinto or black bean salad with fajita vegetables and salsa
  • Crispy corn tortilla taco with extra veggies, chicken, lettuce, and salsa
  • Bowl with lettuce, barbacoa or steak, salsa, and fajita vegetables

Eliminating cheese, sour cream, and guacamole from your Chipotle meal helps to keep the fat content low, so choose the chicken, black bean, fajita vegetable, lettuce, and salsa bowl as a good low-fat but protein-rich option.

Vegetarian & Vegan

Many of Chipotle's ingredients are vegetarian and vegan. Burritos, tacos, bowls, and salads can all be made without meat, and you have the option of using beans or tofu as a protein source.

Chipotle also offers specially-made vegan bowls with brown rice, black beans, sofritas, tomato salsa, corn salsa, and lettuce.

Other items that are vegetarian and vegan include:

  • White rice
  • Tomatillo red-chili salsa and tomatillo green-chili salsa
  • Chips
  • Fajita vegetables
  • Guacamole

Customize your burrito bowl with white rice, beans (or sofritas) fajita vegetables, guacamole, and salsa for a vegetarian- and vegan-friendly meal.

If you don't eat dairy or are lactose intolerant, know that Chipotle uses shredded Monterey Jack cheese with vegetable-based rennet.

Food Allergies and Safety

Chipotle offers an easy-to-read chart for diners with food allergies or special dietary needs. The company also provides a full list of ingredients used to prepare its food.

Chipotle also states the following allergens are not ingredients in any menu items. However, the company cannot guarantee orders have not come into contact with these allergens through other means (such as production, transport, storage, etc.)

  • Fish
  • Shellfish
  • Sesame
  • Tree nuts
  • Peanuts
  • Mustard
  • Eggs (except at locations that serve breakfast)

A Word From Verywell

If you're dining out at Chipotle, you'll have a nearly unlimited number of possibilities when it comes to creating your burritos, bowls, tacos, and salads. As long as you approach the counter with your dietary needs, preferences, and goals in mind, you'll have a variety of nutritious options to choose from.

The most important thing to remember, whether at Chipotle or another restaurant, is to be mindful of portion sizes. Consider sharing your chips and guac with a friend or getting two meals out of one burrito.

1 Source
Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Niland B, Cash BD. Health Benefits and Adverse Effects of a Gluten-Free Diet in Non-Celiac Disease PatientsGastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2018;14(2):82-91.

Additional Reading

By Malia Frey, M.A., ACE-CHC, CPT
 Malia Frey is a weight loss expert, certified health coach, weight management specialist, personal trainer​, and fitness nutrition specialist.